Candid, a silent observers Notes of the Goblin nation war of 1st year of the colony
The candid notes are the first account writings of a human called Candid, A member of the Seekers of Enlightenment their notes provide context and information to the opening hours of the war and how it progressed through the eyes of a first hand observer. Here are the preserved extracts: Candid 5th of Zazar, 1st year of the colony First note Thus the first raid (Still too small scale to call it a war) against the goblinoids of our newborn colony begins on Zazar 5th in the first year of the desperate colony. Caused by (Figure out what caused this clusterfuck), we come here to this New World to find ourselves again a part of the old cycle of war, a familiar friend to all of us the refugees of the destructions of the Old World. The raid is commanded by the champion of the commons Kormak. Candid, 5th of Zazar, 1st year of the colony. Second note The hastily assembled raid party of Urlock ends as it began, hastily. After 10 miles of pursuit, upon hearing the number of the enemy attacking force from a scout (Figure out where she is from, and maybe the name), around 50, probably a mix of goblins, spider mounts, and other goblinoids. The Faction Leader Kormak, The Champion of the Commons, decides to call a tactical retreat while himself stays as the rearguard with the ranger scout to determine the small horde’s intention that is yet to be known, but most likely hostile towards our infant colony. Sadly now the question seems to be not one of ‘If’ but one of ‘when’, and now we pray to Logan Sunstrider, the war seems to be upon us once again in its full force. Candid, 5th of Zazar, 1st year of the colony. Third note After the scrapped counterattack against the goblinoid enemies the city prepares for a defense against the small horde, the faction lords of Ulrock take charge of the defense, many long and blood boiling speeches are given and the most vocal one is Kuro of the family. But we the agents of the city are still very disorganized and few know what is going on, and the leaders are still busy with the raising of moral so no actual plan of battle is presented, I fear for the future, and we pray to Longstrider. Candid, 5th of Zazar, 1st year of the colony. Fourth note After the speeches, the real battle planning begins and with it the horrors of a war council, but worse, because we the adventurers are not soldiers but independent glory seekers, daydreamers and so on. Many voices are spoken each one with a plan of their own, no real discipline, no real army…after a long time and much talking, we come up with a simple plan. The main force, flankers, and archers, or so i heard... Now I see the enemies incoming, we still pray to Longstrider. Candid, 5th of Zazar, 1st year of the colony. Fifth note The skirmish on the left flank was led by a certain scout (Now a captain) called Ellie Torivalen, (17 years old, terribly young for the job now she performs, another symptom of the refugee society now we live in) and was later joined by the champion of the commons, who insisted that the newly baptized captain keep her command of the flank. The skirmish began as the enemy (Consisting mostly of cavalry, many orc worg riders and a leader spell caster amongst them, several goblin spider riders with alchemical fire and an ettin.) charged against Ulrokian line and the left flank of Ulrok responded with a hail of arrows and crossbow bolts. The arrow barrage achieved its intended effect as most of the worgs fell before reaching our line before making contact with the archers, but of course the arrows were not enough to finish the fight on their own, if not for the heavy infantry spearheaded by the champion of the common, the orc raiders (Now most of them mountless) would have made contact against our line of archers, unsuitable for such a combat, and that’s when the savage and the bloody chorus of war made itself manifest, the rage and the bloodthirst were heard and echoed through the battlefield in this red day as the warriors of both side clashed in a fierce close combat and the tide quickly turned against us. I do admit that the day looked grim for a moment, when the champion despite his righteous fury, the strength of his arms and after slaying many foes, was brought down, orcs inferior in strength compared to the champion, and meek in comparison to the fury manifested by the champion, used their number to bring down the avatar of justified fury. First to charge, first to scream his rage in defiance against the enemy and first to die... and one after another our soldiers went down as well under the heavy axes of the orc raiders, the black necrotic touch of the enemy leader’s magic. Aand that’s when despair got hold of our hearts and the captain called for a retreat. But in this bloody day Sunstrider might have listened to our prayers, for we received timely reinforcement, led by a certain Faction Leader called Jorum (Never seen him before) who led a group of warriors that attacked the now dispersed and tired enemies already spent after the bloody melee, and when the dead champion was raised again by the FL Jormum (apparently the resurrecting and being resurrected is something they do habitually) the enemy could not endure anymore and the ones with any sense of reason left despite the bloody rage ran away from the battle, and we still stand here claiming the field. And What a Sight! The field, so precious to our yet infant colony, our soon to be lifeblood, where the people of Ulrok have started a small croft, now drenched with the blood of our enemies and citizens alike, it burns, our enemies efforts bearing fruit while themselves die, the alchemical fires of the goblins showing their worth in blood and soon to be felt hunger of our citizens. And here we still stand, wondering ‘What next?’ For now, Sunstrider’s light covers us in its most primal form and its most savage way. Candid, 5th of Zazar, 1st year of the Colony. Last Note If the reader believes the tale of this humble observer is concluded for the day and is celebrating the fact that the author survived to tell the tale, this humble author implore you to delay the celebration, and continue to read, for the skirmish is only a small part and maybe even a side story to the events of to this grim bloody day. As the reader already knows the humble author was present at the battle on the left side of the skirmish and is not a direct observer to what happened on the other parts of the line, and it's not the observer's policy to write what he has not seen as contrary. But here is what I have deduced after the event, and heard from the others survivors of the day. The center was losing, death, chaos and imminent rout were the principal characteristics of the center, but the principal among them was death, but the future generations will not remember the day because of the first skirmish the colony fought, not because of the blood spilt on the field, but because the dead of Ulrok decided to walk once again on the field. The undead is not something unheard of and unfortunately not something uncommon neither, but what make the Revenants of Ulrok special is the Oath they have all taken with the Ulrok, The Undead King of Ulrok. The circumstances behind the first oath-taking is still unknown to this observers but some adventurers had promised to work in search of Queen Ellesandra the Queen, who is missing now, and the Undead King refuses rest again before she is found, and when a herald (As he calls his oath takers) of Ulrok drew their last breath mid skirmish, the Undead king decided to intervene. He appeared, out of nowhere mid fight unleashing his fury to our enemies, now his as well, but more importantly, he had a deal for the fallen on the center. The deal is fairly simple in nature but the full ramification behind it is still unknown, Ulrok will raise the dead again, give them a second opportunity if they take the oath to bring Queen Ellesandra back to him, if they took the oath they would walk the land again, if they not they would have their rest. Many took the oath and walk with us today, and many did not, including the Faction Leader Kuro, who now remains dead. The fight, now only a background to the main event is quickly ended as hundreds of more undead answer the call of their former king, to defend the city once again. Only three enemies survived on the center that day, the goblin leader, one of his lieutenant and a hill giant. And thus the first fight of the colony was over, but not our troubles, the faction lord acted cautiously in this matter, they questioned every word of the Undead King, and the former king’s intention with the oath-taking was in doubt. But this humble author is happy to say that no more blood was shed that day as the Faction Lords accepted, but not without reluctance in some cases, the Revenants back to our city and the King to his rightful place in the catacombs under our city. '' ''Note: The King mentioned that his presence among the living is due to an oath he took with Sarastra Aestruum, Queen of Night and Magic. The involvement of the Fae in this matter does not surprise me but worries me nonetheless. Candid, 5th of Zazar, The Day of the Risen Revenants, 1st year of the colony.